Packer assembly



`W. F. SILVEY PACKER ASSEMBLY Filed NOV. 29, 1946 Nov. Z8, 14950 Patented Nov. 28, 1950 PACKER ASSEMBLY William F. Silvey, Goose Creek, Tex., assignor to Neil T. Breaux, Harris County, Tex.

Application November 29, 1946, Serial No. 712,982

(Cl. IBG-12) 4 Claims.

l This invention relates to a packer assembly for wells.

An object of the present invention is to provide an assembly of the character described whereby a fluid tight seal may be formed between an outer pipe and an inner pipe in a well bore.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a packer assembly of the character described which will be held in inactive position, with the packer element contracted, While the assembly is being elevated or lowered in the well and which is provided with a liquid channel therethrough to allow the passage of liquid through the assembly while the packer element is in collapsed position so that the pressure of liquid will not prematurely expand said packing element while the assembly is being lowered or elevated in the well.

A further object of the present invention is to provide, in a packer assembly, a sleeve-like expansible packing element having a deep annular groove at its lower end with an annular wedge shaped expander adapted to enter said groove, upon setting the assembly, to effectively force the lower end of the expansible packing element against the outer pipe as well as against the inner pipe to form an efcient fluid tight seal between said pipes.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide an assembly of the character described which may be readily set at any selected elevation and which may be readily released should it be desired to withdraw the assembly from the well or set it at another elevation.

With the above and other objects in view the invention has particular relation to certain novel features of construction, operation and arn rangement of parts, an example of which is given in this specication and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal, sectional View of the assembly showing the packer element in collapsed position.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal, sectional view showing the assembly set with the packer element expanded` Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional View taken on the line 4 4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein like numerals of reference designate the same parts in each of the gures, the numeral l designates a tubular mandrel which is adapted to be connected, at its upper end, to an operating string by means of which the assembly may be lowered into the well and set, or released.

Around this mandrel there is a sleeve-like expansible packer element 2 which is preferably formed of rubber or other resilient expansible material.

Around the upper end of this element 2 there is an annular cap 3, preferably formed of metal and which is secured to the mandrel and which surrounds and clamps the upper end of the packing element.

When the packing element 2 is collapsed it is spaced from the mandrel I thus providing the internal channel 4 and leading from the upper end of said channel outwardly through the mandrel there are one or more ports 5. The lower end of the packing element 2 is provided with a deep annular groove E forming said element into outer and inner depending annular lips 'I and B, the latter of which extends down further than the former, as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Around the mandrel beneath the expansible element there is an actuating element or grapple expander 9 Whose outer side tapers downwardly and inwardly and formed integrally therewith and extending upwardly therefrom there is an annular expander IG which is spaced outwardly from the mandrel providing a channel Il and leading outwardly from the lower end of said channel Il through the expander IS thereare one or more ports I2.

As will be noted from Figure l, that portion of the mandrel within the expansible element 2 and expander I!! is reduced in diameter to increase the size of the channels and Il when the expansible element is collapsed and the assembly is in the position shown in Figure 1. When in said last named position the grapple expander 9 rests on an external annular shoulder i3 of the mandrel with the upper end of the expander lil within the lower end of the lip 1, said lower end being downwardly ilared, as shown in Figure 1.

Mounted on the tapering face of the grapple expander 9 are the grapples M, three of said grapples being shown. These grapples are mounted to move on the dat faces i5 of the grapple expander 9 and have dovetailed connection therewith. However, they are maintained against detachment from said expander by means 0i the inwardly extending keys I6 which extend radially inwardly through the grapples It into the keyways il formed in the expander The grapples Id, therefore, have a limited slidable movement on said faces I5.

Around, and siidable relative to, the mandrel and arranged beneath the expander there is a tubular cage I3 and mounted in countersunk seats i9 in the cage there are the friction blocks 28 which'are held yielding against the outer pipe, or casing, 2i by the coil springs 22 against which said blocks are seated. The cage and friction blocks form a grapple support.

On the upper and lower ends of the cage i8 are the couplings 23, 2d whose ends, adjacent said blocks, are provided with the flanges 25 and 25, respectively, which overlap the corresponding ends of said blocks to prevent the detachment of the blocks as shown in Figures l and 2 The casing grapples I4 are connected to the upper coupling 23 by means oi links 2 which are pivotally connected to said coupling and to said grapples.

The lower end of the lower coupling 24 is provided with internal, coarse right hand threads and the lower end of the mandrel has an enlarged coupling 28 formed integrally therewith and whose outer side is tapered downwardly and inwardly and above the coupling 28 the mandrel is provided with external coarse threads adapted tol engage with the threads of the coupl'ing 24 to maintain the assembly in engaged position, that is with the expansible element 2 collapsed, as shown in Figure 2. A tubular gas anchor 29 may have itsupper end screwed into the lower end of the coupling 28 if desired.

A toolmay lbe assembled, as shown in Figure 1, and lowered into the well. The friction blocks 20 will be maintained in constant yielding engagement with, the [casing 2I as the tool is lowered ibutl vthe expansible element 2 will be in collapsedposition and the grapple expender 9 Will'rest on the shoulder I3. If the well is filled with liquid the liquid beneath the tool may passthrough the ports I2 and the channels Il and 4 out through the ports 5 so that a minimum of resistance will be offered by the liquid while the tool is being-lowered.

It is to be here noted that there is a ring 30 to which the lower margin of the lip I is secured sov as to prevent expansion of the lip 'l by the liquid while the tool is being lowered.

When the location has been reached where it is desired to set the packer and expand the element, the operating string and mandrel may be turned to the .right and the friction blocks 20. will hold the couplingY 24 against turning so that the mandrel will be unscrewed from said couplingA 2li and the operating string and mandrel may then be lowered. While being lowered the casing grapples I 4 will be held stationary and the expander 9 will move downwardly relative thereto and will expand said grapples into engagement with the casing 2i, as shown in Figure 2, and` will thereafter hold said expander 9 against further downward movement but upon further downward movement of the operating string and mandrel the annular expander I will enter the groove 6 and will rupture the ring 30 and spread the lips 'I and 8,V forcing the inner lip closely around the mandrel and the outer lip closely around the casing, as shown in Figure 2, thus `forming an effective seal between the casing` and the inner spring of pipe.

Should it be desired to movethe tool this may be done by elevating the inner string and mandrel. This will operate rst to elevate the expansible element 2 from the expander Ill thus permitting said element to contract.V This will again open the channels 4 and II and allow the liquid in the well above to pass through the ports 5, the channels 4 and Il and the ports I2. Upon further elevation of the string the shoulder I3 will engage the grapple expander 9 and will elevate the same until the lower ends of the keyways I'I engage the inwardly extended keys I6 and the entire assembly beneath will be moved upwardly as the inner string is moved upwardly.

The tool may be withdrawn from the well or may be relocated; however, if it be again desired to lower the tool the operating string and mandrel should be turned to the left toreengage the threads between the lower end of the mandrel and the coupling.

The drawings and description are illustrative merely while the broad principle of the invention will be dened by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A packer assembly shaped to be -lowered into a well and comprising a mandrelga grapple support movably mounted on and releasably connected to the mandrel and including means cn the support engageable with a surrounding well casing for holding the support stationary in the casing upon release of the support from the mandrel, a, casing grapple above, and vconnected to the support, an actuating element movably mounted on the mandrel and movable downwardly with the mandrel to actuatethe grapple into engagement with the well casing to anchor the support in the casing upon release of the support from the mandrel whereby the actuating element will be supported againstfurther downward movement, an expansible packer element around and connected to the mandrel above the actuating element andhaving anannular lower end groove forming inner and outer lips and movable downwardly with the mandrel', means on the mandrel engagealble with the actuating element to support the actuating element out of engagement with the packer while the support is connected to the mandrel, a reenforcing ring on the outer lip of the packer element, and expander on the actuating element positioned to enter said groove upon downward movement of the mandrel relative to the actuating element and effective to rupture said ring and expand said packer element into sealing relationship with the mandrel and with the well casing.

2. A packing assembly for wells comprising a mandrel, a sleeve-like, expansible element on the mandrel and having an annular groove in its lower end forming outer and inner annular lips, frangible means reenforcing the outer lip, casing grappling means, a support for the casing grappling means slidable on, and having a releasable connection with the mandrel and including means adapted to engage a surrounding well casing to hold the support stationary in the casing upon release of the support from the mandrel, an annular expander slidably'carried by the mandrel, means on the expander kadapted to actuate said grappling means into engagement with the well casing upon release of the mandrel from and its downward movement relative to said support to anchor the support in the casing, and means on the expander adaptedV to enter said groove and eiective to rupturesaid rangible means and spread said lipsupon further downward movement of the mandrel relative to the support and actuating means.

3. A packer assembly shaped to be lowered into a well and comprising a mandrel, a support through which the mandrel sldably extends and having a releasable threaded connection with the mandrel, means on the support adapted to frictionally engage a surrounding well casing to hold the support stationary when released from the mandrel, a casing grapple on the support, an actuating element slidably supported on the mandrel and having upper and lower expanders and movable downwardly with the mandrel, upon release of the mandrel from the support to engage the lower expander with the grapple and move the grapple into engagement with the well casing to anchor the support in the casing, a sleeve-like packer carried by the mandrel above the actuating element and having an annular lower end groove, means on the mandrel engageable with the actuating element to support the actuating element out of engagement with the packer while the mandrel is connected to the support, said upper expander being adapted to enter said groove to expand the packer into sealing relationship with the mandrel and casing upon downward movement of the mandrel relative to the support and actuating means.

4. A packer assembly shaped to be lowered into a well and comprising a mandrel, a tubular cage around the mandrel and through which the mandrel is slidable, threadable means releasably connecting the cage to the mandrel for movement therewith, friction elements on the cage adapted to frictionally engage a surrounding well casing to hold the cage stationary in the casing when released from the mandrel, a casing grapple on the cage, an actuating element around and slidably supported on the mandrel and having upper and lower expanders, said actuating element being movable downwardly with the mandrel to engage the lower expander with the grapple to move the grapple into engagement with the casing upon release of the mandrel from the cage to anchor the cage in the casing, a sleeve-like packing element around the mandrel above the actuating element and having an annular lower end groove, means on the mandrel engageable with the actuating element to Support the actuating element in position out of engagement with the packing element prior to the release oi the mandrel from the cage, said packing element being movable downwardly with the mandrel to cause the upper expander to enter said groove and also to cause the application of an endwise compressive force to the packing element to expand the same into sealing relationship with both the mandrel and casing.

WILLIAM F. SILVEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,091,387 Pierce Mar. 24, 1914 1,815,376 Jones July 21, 1931 2,136,674 Crickmer Nov. 15, 1938 2,182,549 Brumbly Dec. 5, 1939 2,249,171 Quintrell July 15, 1941 2,426,370 Penick Aug. 26, v1947 

